Twin tank rock duster



Feb. 28, 1967 G. D. GURNEY TWIN TANK ROCK DUSTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27. 1965 I NVE N TOR. D. (iwrne (ii/aura BY 9m 6&M& W

ATTORNEYS Feb. 28, 1967 G. D. GURNEY 3,306,676

TWIN TANK ROCK DUSTER Filed Sept. 27. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INgNTOR. 01110 D. wrzw 55 54 I BY A g 49 5 4M, M W

ATTDRN EYS United States Patent Office 3,306,676 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,3tl6,676 TWiiN TANK RGCK DUSTER Glenn 1). Gurney, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The American Mine Door tCompany, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,528 8 Claims. (Cl. 30253) The invention relates to a twin tank rock cluster and more particularly to means for air cleaning the outlet junction for the tanks in which a flipper valve is located, and the present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 349,601, filed March 5, 1964, now Patent No. 3,237,993, March 1, 1966.

In my above mentioned prior application there was a bore in a wall of the outlet junction, parallel to the hearing portion of the flipper valve which alternately closed the outlet from each tank when the other tank was discharging. A compressed air supply pipe was connected to this bore and jets communicating with the bore were directed toward the bearing portion of the flipper valve, so that a continuous air blast from said jets played upon the bearing portion of the flipper valve for the intended purpose of cleaning any accumulation of rock dust from the vicinity thereof.

Owing to the fact that the flipper valve, including the bearing portion thereof, is formed of rubber, it was found in actual use that rock dust within the outlet junction would be thrust with considerable force against the hearing portion of the valve by the air blast from the jets, causing deterioration and cutting away of the bearing portion of the flipper valve. In some cases the metal pivot pin, upon which the bearing portion of the flipper valve is journalled, was so badly cut away that it had to be replaced.

It was also found that the air jets so directed toward the bearing portion of the flipper valve at times did not properly clean away accumulation of rock dust adjacent to the outlet of one or the other of the tanks to the outlet junction, thus preventing the flipper valve from seating upon the corresponding valve seat when the other tank was discharging.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to improve the clean-out jet arrangement.

Another object of the invention is to so construct and locate the clean-out jet arrangement that neither the flipper valve nor the bearing portion thereof will be damaged thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleanout jet arrangement which will properly clean both the bearing portion of the flipper valve and the interior of the outlet junction so that the flipper valve will properly seat on the valve seat at the outlet of either tank into the outlet junction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clean-out jet arrangement in which the air jets are directed longitudinally of the bearing portion of the flipper valve, adjacent to but not in direct contact therewith.

And finally, it is an object of the invention to provide such a clean-out jet arrangement in which an arcuate channel is formed in the pivot pin boss opposite to the jet passages to convey the air therefrom away from the pivot pin on each side thereof.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may be later referred to, may beattained by constructing the improved twin tank rock duster in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in 'the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a twin tank rock duster embodying the invention, parts being broken away for the purpose of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan sectional elevation showing the connection of the discharge outlets from the two tanks to the outlet junction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view of the outlet junction;

FIG. 4 is a section through the outlet junction taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 3, showing the clean-out arrangement; and

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 55, FIG. 4.

The invention is substantially the same as shown in the copending application, Serial No. 349,601, with the exception of the specific means for air cleaning the outlet junction for the two tanks. The two tanks are indicated generally at 11, being supported in spaced relation by the upright frame members 2 mounted upon the horizontal frame members 3 which may be in the form of runners as shown.

Each horizontal frame member 3 has a horizontal flange 4 and a vertical flange 5 and has the opposite ends upwardly inclined, as at 6, to facilitate moving the same over the ground.

Each tank may be cylindrical and is provided with a depending cone 7 in its upper end having the central filling opening 8 surrounded by an O-ring 9 within the circular flange 10. The closure cone 11 has ears 12 at its upper end, pivotally connected at 13 to one end of a link 14, the other end of which is pivoted at 15 to the ears 16 extending upwardly from the depending cone 7.

A closure handle 17 is also pivoted upon the bolt 15 and has a lug 18 thereon extending beneath the link 14, so that when the handle 17 is moved outward and downward to the position shown in the left hand tank of FIG. 1, the lug 17 thereon engaging under the edge of the link 14 will swing the same upward pulling the closure cone 11 tightly against the O-ring 9.

The lower portion of each tank 1 is of conical shape, as shown at 19 in FIG. 1, terminating at its lower end in the discharge opening 20 to which a base fitting 21 is attached. Each base fitting has a flange 22 at its upper end with peripheral openings or slots 23 therein. I

Hooks 24 are located through these slots, the uppe hooked ends thereof engaging in the loops 25 welded upon the exterior of the conical lower end 19 of the tank. The lower ends of the hooks 24 are screw threaded as indicated 'at 26, and hand nuts 27 are provided thereon for drawing the upper end of each base fitting 21 tightly against the discharge end of the corresponding tank.

A hose connection 28 is provided upon the other end of each base fitting 21 and a flexible hose 29 is connected thereto, the other end of each hose 29 being connected to the hose connection 30 upon the outlet junction indicated generally at 31.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the outlet junction 31 may be formed of two castings or the like, indicated at 32 and 33 provided with mating flanges 34, through which they are connected together as by screws 35.

Two similar diverging outlet necks 36 are formed in the casting 32 and receive the outlet liners 37 having their inner ends extended into the outlet junction. The outer ends of these liners are of reduced thickness and the hose couplings 30 are formed thereon.

The member 33 of the outlet junction 31 tapers from the flange 34, as indicated at 38 in FIGS. 2 and 3, toward the discharge end which is provided with a hose coupling 39 to which the discharge hose 40 is connected.

A flipper valve, indicated generally at 43, is located within the outlet junction 31. Bosses 41 may be formed upon the interior of the member 32 of the outlet junction, between the outlet necks 36, to receive a pivot pin 42 for the flipper valve 43. This flipper valve is adapted to be operated by compressed air from the tank which is discharging dust to hold the outlet from the other tank closed while said other tank is being filled with dust.

The flipper valve 43 is formed of rubber or similar material, opposite sides thereof being conical, as indicated at 44, to seat upon the valve seats 45 at the inner ends of the outlet liners 37.

A hearing member 46, also preferably made of rubber or similar material, has a shank pOrti-on 4-7 embedded in or integral with the flipper valve 43. A bushing 48 is interposed between the flipper valve bearing member 46 and the pivot stem 42.

For the purpose of keeping the bearing member 46 of the flipper valve and the adjacent portions of the interior of the outlet junction clean at all times, a cleanout jet is provided and connected to a source of compressed air so that continuous jets of air under pressure are directed longitudinally adjacent to the flipper valve bearing member 46, and between the same and the adjacent inner wall of the outlet junction, so as to prevent dust from accumulating upon the same or around the valve seats for the flipper valve.

As shown in FIG. 4, a bore 49 is provided in the wall 50 of the member 32 of the outlet junction to a point near the inner surface of said wall. The outer open end of said bore is threaded as indicated at 52.

Small apertures or jet passages 53 extend inwardly from the closed end of the bore 49, through the inner surface of the wall 50, and the directed longitudinally adjacent to but spaced from the bearing member 46 of the flipper valve, and between the same and the adjacent inner wall 51 of the outlet junction.

A coupling 54 on one end of an air hose 55 is attached to the threaded end 52 of the bore 49. The other end of the hose 55 is connected to a source of air under pressure as will be later described.

An arcuate channel 56 (FIGS. 4 and is formed in the boss 41 opposite to the jet passages 53, to receive the air blast therefrom and convey it upwardly around each side of the pivot pin 42. This arcuate channel was found necessary to prevent damage to the pivot pin. Before this channel was provided it was found that the air blast from the jet passages 53 would strike the inner side of the opposite boss 41 and be deflected upward against the pivot pin, the dust picked up by said air blast cutting into the pivot pin and damaging the same.

Since providing the arcuate channel 56, this difficulty is overcome. The air blast from the jet passages 53 is received in this arcuate channel and conveyed upwardly around each side of the pivot pin and then discharged from the outlet junction without coming into direct contact with the pivot pin.

As illustrated and described in detail in the copending application, Serial No. 349,601, compressed air from a compressor or other suitable source of air under pressure, may be supplied to the inlet of an air filter 58 (FIG. 1). An outlet pipe from the air filter is provided with a shut-off valve adapted to be operated by a hand wheel 64. Beyond the shut-off valve the outlet pipe is connected to a T-connection (not shown) and the hose 55 leading to the clean-out jet connection 52 i attached to one end of said T-connection.

Thus, at all times, except when the shut-off valve may be closed by the hand wheel 64, at which time, of course, the apparatus will not be operated, there will be a continuous supply of air under pressure to the clean-out jet connection for the flipper valve bearing and adjacent parts in the outlet junction.

As further described and illustrated in said copending application, the other end of said T-connection (not shown) is connected to one side of a four-way connection 67, to which are also connected a safety valve (not shown) and a pressure gauge 69. A pipe 70 connects the four-Way connection 67 to the four-way valve 71 adapted to be operated by the handle 72.

The four-way valve 71 is mounted upon a frame member 73, welded or otherwise connected at opposite ends to the tanks 11 or otherwise suitably supported upon a stationary portion of the apparatus.

Pipes 74 and '75 are connected to opposite sides 76 and 77 respectively of the four-way valve. The air inlet pipe '70 is connected to the top 78, and the lower side 79 of the four-way valve is open to the atmosphere.

The pipe 74 is connected to a T-connection 80, the upper end of which is connected by a pipe 81 to the upper portion of one of the tanks 1 as indicated at 82. A pipe 83 leads from the lower end of the T-co-nnection 80 to a compressed air vibrator 84, which is connected as at 85, to the conical lower end 19 of the same tank to which the pipe 81 is connected.

The pipe 75, from the other side of the four-way valve 71, is connected to a T-connection thin, the upper end of which is connected by a pipe 81a to the upper end portion of the other tank 1, as indicated at 82a.

A pipe 83a leads from the lower end of the T-connection 89a to a compressed air-operated vibrator 84a which is connected as at 85a to the conical lower end 19 of the other tank 1.

The operation is substantially the same as described in the copending application. To apply rock dust upon the ceiling, walls or floor of a corridor, room or other mine cavity, the twin tank cluster as illustrated and above described is moved to a location such that the hose will reach the area to be dusted.

The shut-off valve is opened by the hand wheel 64 and air under pressure is admitted from a compressor or other suitable source of supply to the air filter 58, and thence through the outlet pipe from the filter to the fourway connection 67 and pipe 76 to the four-way valve 71.

Some of the air from the four-way connection 67 will pass down through the hose to the clean-out jet connection 49 for blowing jets of air through the jet passages 53 longitudinally adjacent to the bearing 46 of the flipper valve and between the same and the adjacent wall of the outlet junction to remove dust therefrom and keep said parts clean at all times.

Each tank 1 may be filled to the desired height with rock dust by raising the closure handle 17 to lower the closure cone 11 away from the open bottom of the depending cone 7, and charging the desired amount of rock dust through the charging opening 8 into the tank.

When it is desired to discharge the dust from either tank, the handle 17 of said tank must be depressed raising the cone 11 against the O-ring 9, as the four-way valve is operated, and held sufliciently long to permit pressure in the tank to maintain the cone 11 against the O-ring 9.

The four-way valve 71 is operated so that air under pressure from the inlet hose is passed from the four-way valve through the corresponding pipe 74 or to the inlet 82 or 82a of the desired tank. This setting of the four-way valve will cause air to be exhausted from the other tank through the four-way valve and discharged to the atmosphere through the exhaust side 79 of said valve.

Assuming that dust is to be discharged from the right hand tank 1, as viewed in FIG. 1, the handle 17 thereof is depressed to raise the cone 11 as above described; the four-way valve handle 72 will be moved to a position to set the valve 71 so that air under pressure from the inlet hose will pass through the air filter to the fourway connection 67, pipe 76, inlet 78 of the four-way valve through the right side 77 thereof, pipe 75, T-connection a, pipe 81a, connection 82a to the upper portion of the right hand tank 1.

At the same time air passes downwardly from the T-connection 80:: through the pipe 83a to the vibrator 84, operating the vibrator to vibrate the conical hopper bottom 19 of the right hand tank 1.

Air pressure is thus maintained in the upper portion of the right hand tank 1 on top of the rock dust thereon,

forcing the rock dust down through the conical bottom '19 of said tank, through the pipe fitting 21 and hose 29 thereof to the outlet junction 31.

As shown in FIG. 3, the air and dust being discharged from the right hand tank 1 will throw the flipper valve 43 to the full line position shown in said figure, closing the outlet from the left hand tank 1 to the outlet junction 31.

The four-way valve 71, when set in the above indi cated position, will cause air to be exhausted from the left hand tank 1 through the coupling 82, pipe 81, T- connection 80 and pipe 74 to the left side 76 of the four-way valve and exhausted to the atmosphere through the lower side 79 of said valve.

At the same time that the air is being exhausted from this tank, the closure cone 11 thereof will drop by gravity so that the rock dust may be charged into the left hand tank while dust is being discharged from the right hand tank.

The flipper valve 43 always automatically seals the outlet from the tank being filled with rock dust. This flipper valve is automatically operated by the pressure of air and dust being discharged through the outlet junction 31 from the other tank.

Once the flipper valve has been thrown to the closed position, for the tank being filled, it will be held in this position by the difference in pressure between that in the outlet junction and that in the tank being exhausted through the four-way valve, and will remain in this position until the four-way valve is operated to reverse position.

This operation is repeated, discharging the dust from one tank while the other tank is being filled and then reversing the position of the four-Way valve so as to discharge dust from the second tank while the first tank is being filled, the flipper valve 43 being automatically operated, as above described, by pressure from the outlet tank discharging dust to automatically close the outlet from the tank being filled with dust.

It will be obvious that regardless of the position of the four-way valve or the position of the flipper valve, the cleanout jets 53 will operate continuously so long as the air pressure in the system is maintained, so as to continuously maintain the bearing of the flipper valve and adjacent parts free of dust and dirt.

It will be seen that while air under pressure is continuously passing through the jets 53 to keep these parts clean, none of these air jets are directed against the bearing or other part of the flipper valve or against the pivot pin thereof, so that these parts are not damaged by dust picked up by the air jets.

It will also be seen that these air jets directed longitudinally of the flipper valve bearing will also prevent the accumulation of dust around the valve seats for the flipper valve, so that the flipper valve will always properly seat thereon.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

1. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank,'an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled therein, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction, jet passage means communicating with said bore and directed longitudinally of said bearing portion of the flipper valve, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said fiipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

2. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selec tively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled therein, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction, at one end of said bearing portion, jet passage means communicating with said bore and directed longitudinally of said bearing portion of the flipper valve and spaced therefrom, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

3. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled therein, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction, jet passage means communicating with said bore and directed parallel to said bearing portion of the flipper valve and spaced therefrom, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

4. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a pivot pin located through the outlet junction between said outlets from the tanks, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled upon said pivot pin, there being a bore in a Wall of the outlet junction, jet passage means communicating with said bore and directed longitudinally of said bearing portion of the flipper valve, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

5. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled therein, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction, jet passage means communicating with said bore and directed longitudinally of said bearing portion of the flipper valve, there being an arcuate channel in the opposite wall for receiving an air blast from said jet passage means and conveying it around both sides of the journal of said bearing portion, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

6. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet from each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said out let junction, a pivot pin located through the outlet junction between said outlets from the tanks, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled upon said pivot pin, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction, jet passage means communieating with said bore and directed longitudinally of said bearing portion of the flipper valve, there being an arcuate channel in the opposite wall for receiving an air blast from said jet passage means and conveying it around both sides of said pivot pin, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

7. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a pivot pin located through the outlet junction between said outlets from the tanks, a flipper valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journalled upon said pivot pin, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction at one end of said bearing portion, jet passage means communicating with said bore and dir-ected longitudinally of said bearing portion of the flipper valve and spaced therefrom, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to be operated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

8. A rock duster comprising a pair of similar tanks for containing rock dust and the like, each tank having a charging opening and a closure therefor, an outlet for each tank, an outlet junction, means connecting the outlets of both tanks to said outlet junction, means for selectively admitting air under pressure to either tank to discharge dust from the outlet thereof through said outlet junction, a pivot pin located through the outlet junction between said outlets from the tanks, a flipper 'valve in said outlet junction and having a bearing portion journallecl upon said pivot pin, there being a bore in a wall of the outlet junction and spaced therefrom, jet passage means communicating with said bore and directed parallel to said bearing portion of the flipper valve and spaced therefrom, and means for supplying air under pressure to said bore, said flipper valve being arranged to beoperated by the pressure of the discharge from either tank to close the outlet from the other tank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,309,671 7/1919 Weaver 302-53 2,819,679 1/1958 Wilson 222-386.5 3,237,993 3/1966 Gurney 302-53 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A ROCK DUSTER COMPRISING A PAIR OF SIMILAR TANKS FOR CONTAINING ROCK DUST AND THE LIKE, EACH TANK HAVING A CHARGING OPENING AND A CLOSURE THEREFOR, AN OUTLET FOR EACH TANK, AN OUTLET JUNCTION, MEANS CONNECTING THE OUTLETS OF BOTH TANKS TO SAID OUTLET JUNCTION, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADMITTING AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO EITHER TANK TO DISCHARGE DUST FROM THE OUTLET THEREOF THROUGH SAID OUTLET JUNCTION, A FLIPPER VALVE IN SAID OUTLET JUNCTION AND HAVING A BEARING PORTION JOURNALLED THEREIN, THERE BEING A BORE IN A WALL OF THE OUTLET JUNCTION, JET PASSAGE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE AND DIRECTED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID BEARING PORTION OF THE FLIPPER VALVE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID BORE, SAID FLIPPER VALVE BEING ARRANGED TO BE OPERATED BY THE PRESSURE OF THE DISCHARGE FROM EITHER TANK TO CLOSE THE OUTLET FROM THE OTHER TANK. 